2012-12-20_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981038

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insignificant to the local hydrologic regime. The portals of the East Mine were sealed in 2001 and the portals at the West Mine were sealed in 2000, so no recent mine inflow information is available. Inflows from faults and fractures located outside stream valleys (such as in the Bowie No. 1 Mine) generally dry up with time or flow intermittently at discrete points along the fault or fracture. Those which continue to flow have flow rates which diminish to a trickle. Such inflows may represent the dewatering of lenticular sandstone units with limited recharge areas, or may represent flows through fracture zones extending to the surface which have narrow recharge zones on steep slopes. Surface Water Surface water information is found in Volume 1, Sections 2.04, and 2.05.6, and in Volume 4. Water rights tabulations and an augmentation plan are found in Volumes 5 and 5A. Annual hydrologic reports have been prepared since 1982 and exist as stand -alone volumes. For a description of the surface water hydrology of the mine permit area and a discussion of the impacts of mining on surface water, please refer to the Hydrologic Balance and Probable Hydrologic Consequences portions of Section B of this document. BRL's baseline surface water collection for the permit area consisted of reviewing existing baseline studies on the area, compiling a list of water rights on file with the State Engineer, identifying water resources using aerial photographs, and actual on- the - ground surveys. In the 1988 Findings, only one concern with the baseline study that pertained to a proposed area to be mined outside that five year permit term was noted. Colorado Westmoreland, Inc. had not obtained right of entry to conduct on- the - ground baseline surveys on two tracts of land totaling 286 acres within the East Roatcap Creek drainage basin. Cyprus Orchard Valley Coal Company obtained the required rights of entry during 1992 -93 and performed ground reconnaissance for surface water sources on these areas as baseline data for Permit Revision No. 3. The Bowie No. 1 Mine permit area is drained by East Roatcap Creek, West Roatcap Creek, Main Roatcap Creek, Steven's Gulch, Coal Gulch, and Terror Creek, all of which are tributaries to the North Fork of the Gunnison. Terror Creek is a perennial stream with an aquatic community that includes some trout. The stream has a high gradient channel with riparian vegetation and alluvium confined to narrow bands along the channel. Steven's Gulch, East Roatcap Creek, and Coal Gulch are intermittent to ephemeral drainages that only flow part of the year. Localized deposits of colluvial material reworked by fluvial processes are present within the general area, primarily within the Steven's Gulch, West Fork Terror Creek, and Roatcap Creek drainages. These deposits are generally 20 to 30 acres in size and provide industrial (Steven's Gulch), domestic (Long Draw), and agricultural (Morrell Cow Camp) water sources (Section 2.04.7 of Volume 1). Several smaller occurrences of saturated alluvial /colluvial deposits are associated with the streams in the permit area; however, none of these is currently supporting agricultural use. The flow of water in Terror Creek and in the North Fork of the Gunnison River is strongly influenced by irrigation structures along these stream courses. The Overland Ditch intercepts and distributes water from the upper reaches of Terror Creek. The flow in the North Fork is controlled by Paonia Reservoir and water withdrawals by several irrigation ditches - the Fire Mountain Canal, Stewart Ditch, Farmers Ditch, and Paonia Ditch. In addition, there are two pipelines that will withdraw water from the Steven's Gulch Well Field. The first is currently in operation and is operated by the Pitkin Mesa Pipeline Page 11 of 42